1 [U,C] the small hard seeds of food plants such as wheat, rice, etc.; a single seed of such a plant:
America's grain exports * a few grains of rice
seealsoWHOLEGRAIN
2 [C] a small hard piece of particular substances:
a grain of salt / sand / sugar
3 [C] (used especially in negative sentences) a very small amount:
There isn't a grain of truth in those rumours. * If he had a grain of sensitivity he wouldn't have asked her about her divorce.
4 [C] the smallest unit of weight, equal to 0.00143 of a pound or 0.0648 of a GRAM, used for example for weighing medicines:
The analysis showed a few grains of arsenic in the solution.
5 [U] the natural direction of lines in wood, fabric, etc. or of layers of rock; the pattern of lines that you can see:
to cut a piece of wood along / across the grain
6 [U,C] how rough or smooth a surface feels:
wood of coarse / fine grain
IDIOMS
be / go against the grain to be or do sth different from what is normal or natural:
It really goes against the grain to have to work on a Sunday.
